Collating machine



Sept. 8, 1942.

w. c. RUPP ETAL 2,295,055

GOLLATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Oct. 7, 1940 INVENTORS. WILLIAM C. RuPP KurrLsmJR.

LEONARD W.

R. J-OHNSON 7 BY LAWRENCE ATTOR/LEYS.

Sept. 8, 1942. w. c. RUPP ETAL' COLLA'IING MACHINE 7 Filed 001:. '7, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J s 5 RM 0H mp5s. m m mw o w K m CM V Mom ARE IA LNR MOWM W j w 6 Fig. 5

Sept. 8, 1942. w. c. RUPP EIAL COLLATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. '7, 1940 INVENTORS. WILLIAM C. EuPP LEONARD W. KUTTL'ER'. JR. BY LAWRENCE RJaH/vso/v fly 9 I ATTORNEYS? Patented Sept. 8, i942 COLLATING MACHINE William C. Rupp, Pal-ma, Leonard W. Kuttler, Jr.,

Wicklifl'e, and Lawrence R. Johnson, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Colators, Inc., Painesville, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 7, 1940, Serial No. 360,052

8 Claims. (Cl. 270-58) This invention relates, as indicated, to ccllating machines, but has reference more particularly to means for feeding the sheets to such machines.

A primary object of the invention is to provide means for rapidly and effectively feeding sheets from a plurality of stacks of sheets onto the sheet depositing tables of a collating machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically elevating the tables of such sheet feeding means when the level of the stacks thereon have fallen below a predetermined point.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for simultaneously creating and breaking the suction in the feed arms of a plurality of sheet feeders.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide means for selectively discontinuing the feeding of sheets from one or more of the stacks of sheets which are being fed to the collating machine.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide means for automatically stopping the operation of the collating machine in the event that no sheets are fed to the machine, or more than one sheet at a time is fed to the machine.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a collating machine, showing the sheet-feeding mechanism attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the sheet feeding mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the sheet feeding mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the suction control valve;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7-;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the automatic stop means; and

Fig. '10 is a circuit diagram of the automatic stop means.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the machine in its essential details is similar to that described in the co-pending application. of Frank H. Blythe and Leonard W. Kuttler, Jr., Serial No. 326,950, which is owned by the assignee of the present application, the elements I, 2, 3 and 4 corresponding to the wires 24, wires 30, pins i2, arid gauge plate 33 respectively in said copending application.

The present application is concerned more par--v ticularly with the means for feeding the sheets to be collated from a series of automatically elevatable feed tables 5, spaced as described in the aforesaid copending application onto the elements 2, at points which may be termed sheet depositing stations.

Each table 5 has mounted'thereon a stack of sheets S, these sheets being inclined at an angle corresponding to the angle of inclination of the collating table proper, so as to facilitate movement of the lower edges of the sheets toward the gauge plate 4. Depending from the table 5, centrally thereof, is'a rack 6, which extends through a bracket 1 extending from the frame 8 of the machine, said rack being in mesh with a. pinion 9 (Fig. 2) which is slidably keyed to a shaft i0 journalled in the bracket I.

The shaft III has pinned thereto a clutch part which is mounted on the shaft of a small electric motor l6 mountedon the bracket I, and, in this way, the table 5 is elevated at such times that the height of the stack of sheets on the table has fallen ,below a predetermined level.

For the purpose of energizing the motor I when the height of the stack of sheets on the table has fallen below a predetermined level, mechanism is provided comprising a feeler i1 having a stack contacting arm l8 which is adapted to overlie the lower edge of the uppermost sheet of the stack at intervals when sheets are not being removed therefrom, as shown in dotted lines in Fig, 4 but which is moved to the .by the dotted lines.

ary rod 2|, such rod constraining movement of the feeler to the position shown in solid lines.

.The feeler I1 is actuated by means of a rod 22 which extends through the portion l9 of the feeler, the rod being reciprocated once as each sheet is removed from the stack. Immediately prior to the removal of each sheet, the rod 22 moves'upwardly, causing a pin 23 which extends from the rod to engage the portion'l9 of the feeler and moving the feeler bodily to the position shown in solid lines, thereby permitting the sheet to be removed from the stack. On the down stroke of the rod 22, the rod slides through the portion l9 of the feeler, until a spring 24, attached to the upper end of the rod and which is at all times in contact with the feeler, engages the portion l9 of the feeler, whereupon the feeler is pulled downwardly tothe position indicated In order to insure that the spring 24 will engage the portion |9 of the feeler upon downward movement oi the rod 22, the base 24 of the spring is of greater width than the diameter of the opening in the portion l9 of the feeler through which the rod 22 slides.

When the height of the stack of sheets has fallen to a predetermined level, the portion I9 of the feeler engages a normally open limit switch 25, closing it, and thereby energizing. the motor l6, which elevates the table 5, the switch opening automatically after the table has been elevated to the desired degree. The position of the limit switch 25 may be adjusted, a manuallyoperable rod 26 being provided for this purpose.

It is desirable, at times, to elevate or lower the table 5 manually, and for this purpose the shaft I9 is provided at one end with a hand-wheel 21, permitting the shaft Hi to be pusheddownwardly, thereby disengaging the clutch part II from the clutch part I2, and permitting the table to be elevated or lowered by merely turning the hand-wheel in the desired direction.

The sheet-feeding mechanism further includes sucker tips 28, mounted on hollow arms 29, there being one of these arms disposed centrally over each stack of sheets, all of the arms being rigidly secured to a tube 36 which extends along the collating machine for substantially the entire length of the latter.

Parallel with the tube 30 is a second tube 3|, to which is pivotally secured a lever 32 having portions 33 which are clamped to the tube 30. A rod 34 is pivotally connected to the lever 32, and this rod is pivoted at its lower end to one arm 35 of a bell crank lever, the other arm 36 of which is pivoted as at 31, to the frame of the collating machine. The bell-crank lever carries a cam roller 39, which, due to the action of a spring 39, is normally maintained in engagement with a cam 4|), which is secured to the shaft 4| driven by the main driving motor 42 of the machine. As the cam is rotated, the lever 32 is rocked about the tube 3|, and in this way the suction arms 29 are rocked towards and away from the stack of sheets.

In addition to this rocking movement of the arms 29, they are at the same time moved bodily towards and away from the collating table. For this purpose, the tube 3| is secured to a bracket 43, which in turn is secured to a post 44. The post 44 is secured to a rock shaft45 on the frame of the collating machine, and which is rocked by means of a lever 46. The lever 46 carries a cam roller 41 which is maintained in engagement with a cam 43 on the shaft 4|, by means of a spring 49.

The conjoint action of the cams 49 and 49 causes the .suction tip's'29 togfollow a path of movement which is indicated bythe dotted lines in Fig. 1, suction being applied to thetips during the movement of the tips toward the right as viewed in this figure, and being cut oil during movement of the tips toward the left.

Suction is applied to the arm 29 by means of flexible tubes 49, the tubes of each successive pair of arms being connected .to a control valve, the detailed construction of which is shown in Figs. 3, 4, 7 and 8.

The control valve comprises a housing 5| which is secured as by means of a set screw 52 to the upper end of the post 44, which is hollow. The housing 5| is provided with a pair of parallel passageways 53 and 54, each of which is in communication with the interior ofthe post 44 by means of aligned openings 55 and 56 in the housing and post respectively. Disposed within the passageways 53 -and 54 are plungers 51 and 58, each of which has one side cut away as at 59 for a purpose tobe presently described. The tubes 49 are connected to nipples 60, which in turn are connected to the housing 6|, and communicates with passageways 6| which lead to the passageways 53 and 54.

The plungers 51 and 59 are movable in the passageways 53 and 54, and for the purpose of frictionally holding such plungers in any position to which they are moved, balls 62 are provided, which are pressed inwardly against the plungers by means of springs 63 secured to the housing 5| by meansof screws 64.

With the parts, as' shown in Fig; '7, and suction applied continuously to the post 44, continuous passageways are provided between the post and each of the tubes 49, such passagewaysponsisting of the openings 56 and .55, the spacesbetween the walls of the passageways 53 and 54 and the cut-away portions 59 of the plungers, passage ways 6| and nipples 60. With the parts thus maintained, suction vgill be applied to the tips 26, and the sheets carried from the stack 5 to the sheet depositing stations.-

When the posts 44 reach their most advanced positions, the reduced ends: 65 of the plungers 51 and 58 engage a. stationary plate 66, causing the plungers to be moved rearwardly in the housing 5|, and the portions 61 thereof to cover the passageways 6|, thereby breaking the suction in the tubes 49.

At the termination oi the rearward movement of the posts 44, the rear ends of the plungers 5'| strike an abutment member 69, thereby restoring the plungers to their initial position, and re-establishing suction in the tubes 49.

It is desirable at times to discontinue the feeding of sheets from one or both of two adjacent .stacks, and for this purpose, means are provided the openings 18 and 13. A handle 14 extends from the abutment member, so as to enable such member to be rotated to present no opening on its front face, or both openings '18 and 13, or one or the other of the openings 1| and 12.

Means are also provided for automatically stopping the main drive motor 42 of the collating machine, in the event either that no sheets are deposited onto the elements 2 from any stack of sheets, or two sheets are deposited at a time. Such means are best shown in' Figs. 1, 9 and, 10.

In Fig. 10, reference numeral 42 designates the main drive motor of the collating machine and corresponds to the motor ii in the aforesaid application of Blythe and Kuttler. This motor is energized by the main lines 15, 16 and 11, which are controlled by a circuit breaker 18. This circuit breaker is hand set and is controlled by a circuit consisting of the lines 18 and 88 from a low voltage source of supply, which lines are controlled by a switch 8| which is normally open, but which may, at times, be closed by moving it downwardly into contact with a grounded contact 82. This closing of the switch 8| is accomplished by means of a micrometer screw 83 which is mounted on a lever 84 which, in turn, is pivoted as at 85 to the gauge plate 4. The lever 84 is pivotally connected to a rod 88 which in turn is connected to a lever 81 pivoted as at 88 to the plate 4. The lever 81 carries a'cam roller 88.

The screw 88 is normally maintained in its uppermostpdsition by means of a spring 88, so as to permit a sheet to\be fed onto the table without striking such screw, ,When the sheet has been placed on the machine, however, it is desirable to return the screw 88 to a position in which it engages the sheet. For this purpose, a cam 8| is provided which is mounted on a shaft 82, which shaft revolves once each time that a sheet is fed onto the machine. In other words, the cam 8| engages the roller 89 so as to rock the lever 81 and thereby move the contact screw 88 down into engagement with the sheet.

If a single sheet has been properly placed over the switch 8|, such sheet will insulate the switch 8| from the screw 88, but the thickness of such 1. In a collating machine, a plurality of sheetfeeding tables, feeder arms for conveying sheets from each of said tables to said machine, a holmounted on said post, flexible tubes connecting sheet will not be suilicient to depress the switch 8| into engagement with the contact 82, so that the machine will continue to run. If no sheet -has been placed over the switch 8|, the screw 88 will directly contact the switch 8|, establishing a circuit through switch 8|, screw 88, lever 84, and grounded line 88, thereby deenergizing the motor 42. If two sheets have been placed over the switch iii, the thickness of such sheets will be suflicient to cause the screw 88 to depress the switch 8| into contact with line 82, thereby deenergizing the motor 42.

It is thus seen that the machine will be stopped either when no sheet is supplied to the machine olihlwhen more than one sheet is fed to the mac e.

It will be understood, of course, that when the suction in either one of the tubes 48 is broken,

that the screw as, which is associated with the feed from the table controlled by such tube, will be elevated sufficiently as to render it ineflective. Other modesof applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.-

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

plurality of sheet feeding tables, suction feeder arms for conveying sheets from each of said tables to said machine, means operative at substantially the termination of the movement of said feeder arms to said machine for simultaneously breaking the suction in all of said arms, and means operative upon return of said arms to their initial position for restoring the suction in said arms, said last-named means being adjustable to selectively prevent restoration of the suction in one or more of said arms.

5. In combination with a collating machine, a plurality of sheet feeding tables, suction feeder arms for conveying sheets from each of said tables to said machine, means operative at sub- ,stantially the termination of the movement of said feeder arms to said machine for simultaneously breaking the suction in all of said arms, and meanscperative upon return of said arms to their initial position for restoring the suction in said arms, said last-named means comprising abutment members which are rotatable to selectively prevent restoration of the suction in one or more of said arms.

6. In combination with a collating machine, a plurality of sheet feeding tables, suction feeder arms for conveying sheets from each of said tables to said machine, means operative at substantially the termination of the movement of said feeder arms to said machine for simultaneously breaking the suction in all of said arms, and means operative upon return of said arms to their initial position for restoring the suction in said arms, said last named'means comprising an abutment member which is rotatable to selectively prevent restoration of the suction in one or more of said arms.

'I. In combination with "a collating machine, a

plurality of sheet feeding tables, suction feeder WILLIAM c. we; LEONARD w. KU'I'ILER. an. mwaimca a. Johnson. 

